Arm Chopping Is Not A Love Language

anime girl pose

Scientist, politicians, and thousands of reporters gather to witness the aliens disembark the ship. A group of boulder-like creatures, clicking and whistling to the humans around them.

One of them raises something large and metallic towards the crowd.

There's an immediate recoil of fear (is it a weapon?!) before the audience realises it's human technology. A laptop, old and beaten and looks like it was put back together by a drunk.

The alien presses a button.

"Good thing you already made up your mind, then," I said.

She raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Sure," I said. "You just wanted someone to tell you what you already know. If you leave the crew awake, there's nothing you can do about the psychosis risk. But we've got years to perfect the automated-coma-bed technology."

She scowled a bit but didn't speak.

I softened my voice. "Besides. We're already asking these people to die. We shouldn't ask them to suffer emotional torment for four years too. Science and morality both give the same answer here, and you know it."

She nodded, almost imperceptibly. Then, she downed the rest of her gin. "All right. You can go."

The slippage from "you" to "we" here is the lifeline she desperately needs - but never quite asks for. Of all the decisions she's made she won't have to carry this one alone.

Rocky mocks Grace when he says that Rocky is distracting him by starting complex conversations while he's Trying To Do Science. "Human brain have to stop activity just because talking question? Useless! One track mind!"

Then Grace is on hour six of his "trying to recreate skittles" hyperfocus and Rocky is like What The Fuck. Statement.